TWINGO | Cars | Renault UK Latest offers *Model shown is a Twingo GT with optional Blaze Orange paint and GT roof and bonnet decal at £14,580 OTR. Renault Customer saving at participating dealers only. T&Cs apply †Official fuel consumption figures are produced for comparison purposes and are measured according to the European Regulation 692/2008 and may not reflect real life driving results. These figures are specific for a vehicle type and not for a single car. Real world fuel (actual) consumption can vary as the fuel efficiency of a vehicle is influenced by driving behaviour, weather and road conditions. The use of technical equipment for example air conditioning, can also effect the fuel consumption. For further information, please visit the Vehicle Certification Agency web site †Figures are obtained for comparative purposes in accordance with EU Legislation and may not reflect real life driving results. For further information, please visit the Vehicle Certification Agency web site Renault Twingo hatchback review | Carbuyer Image 1 of 15 Interior quality is reasonable and the dashboard layout is logical, but the VW up! and Hyundai i10 feel more solid inside.

The Twingo is spacious, though: while it’s only about three and a half metres long, Renault has somehow managed to squeeze in four doors and four proper seats. Plus, the 219-litre boot is acceptable given that it sits on top of the engine. You can have a Twingo in four main trims: Expression, Play, Dynamique and GT. Expression lacks air-conditioning but comes with Bluetooth connectivity and LED running lights; Play adds air-con, a height-adjustable driver’s seat and extra personalisation options. Dynamique offers you alloy wheels and the nicer TCe 90 engine, while the most opulent Twingo is the Dynamique S, which adds bigger alloys and part-leather seats. There’s also a special edition ‘The Colour Run’ model, whch comes with a sliding fabric roof on top of all the standard equipment of the Play, as well as 15-inch alloy wheels and the option of Renault’s exterior Touch Packs and interior Style Packs. The final choice is the Twingo GT, which uses a more powerful 0.9-litre TCe 110 engine, developing 109bhp.

This enables a 0-62mph time of 9.6 seconds without ruining efficiency. On the road, the Twingo is competent and reasonably engaging but it won’t provide enthusiastic drivers with many thrills. The tight turning circle makes manoeuvring a breeze, but the high driving position and the rather strange steering feel discourage you from driving it particularly quickly. While the GT is a marked improvement, it’s still far from becoming a focused drivers’ car and is best seen as a comfortable yet nippy runabout. Image 2 of 15 The Twingo came 67th out of 150 cars in our 2016 Driver power customer satisfaction survey, with a 47th-place finish for reliability. Renault came eight out of 32 manufacturers, Safety is reasonable thanks to a four-star rating from Euro NCAP . While some rivals scored the full five stars, the Twingo was tested under the latest and strictest criteria and offers decent adult and child occupant protection.

RENAULT Twingo BIK rates - Company car tax 2017 - Next Green Car 24% RENAULT Twingo BIK rates Finding an RENAULT Twingo with a low BIK rate will mean lower company car tax payable. As the BIK rate is linked to the fuel type and official CO2 emissions, an RENAULT Twingo model with low BIK rate will most likely mean reduced fuel bills as well as less impact on the environment. To find company car tax payable for a specific RENAULT Twingo model click on the record in the list or use the company car tax calculator . Why the 2014 Renault Twingo could be the biggest small car since the Mini - Telegraph Renault Why the 2014 Renault Twingo could be the biggest small car since the Mini Thanks to its rear-engined layout and cute styling, the 2014 Renault Twingo could be as influential as the Mini.

We take a closer look to see what makes it so special The Renault Twingo is likely to cost from about £8,500 when it goes on sale in the autumn Photo: Handout Turbo power for new Renault Twingo | Autocar Turbo power for new Renault Twingo Third-gen Twingo arrives with a rear-engined layout that promises driving fun and plenty of space Renault returns to a rear-engined layout for the new Twingo Renault claims the Twingo offers an impressive space package The interior is designed to make maximum use of space Show car reveals navigation and climate control will be among available equipment The new Twingo will be available in five-door form only The new Twingo is the sister car to the Smart Forfour The new Twingo adopts a rear-engined layout for its third generation The car features simple instrumentation Four exterior colours will be offered, with interior trims to match The colour schemes are a homage to those originally offered for the Mk1 Twingo Renault has taken design cues from the classic R5 for the new Twingo, particularly at the rear The new Twingo has styling inspired by the Twin'Z concept A new Twingo will allow Renault to compete with the likes of the Fiat 500 and Mini The four-door Twingo has seating

 for five inside Renault cites a number of storage spaces around the cabin R&Go allows drivers to integrate their smartphone with the car The new Twingo adopts Renault's family front end, with a larger front grille and more prominent headlights The Twingo is claimed to be capable of carrying 2.2m-long loads The new Twingo has been revealed at the Geneva motor show The new Twingo is 100mm shorter than today's model The new Twingo features design elements inspired by the 1992 original A new range of rear-mounted engines will power the Twingo A new range of three-cylinder engines will power the Twingo Renault will offer the Twingo with a five-speed manual gearbox The new Twingo will go on sale following its debut in Geneva Close Follow @@autocar The new Renault Twingo aims to recapture the spirit of the Renault 5, according to company boss Michael van der Sande.

He revealed that the Twingo will be the latest step in the rebirth of Renault's range. The firm is "working through [the] range, looking for model opportunities – that will include big cars," said van der Sande. The new Twingo made its debut at the Geneva motor show today. The French firm is looking to tear up the traditional city car blueprint with its new car – the Twingo takes on a new five-seat, four-door, rear-engined and rear-wheel-drive layout. That formula has not been seen in mainstream European car design since the Hillman Imp went out of production in 1976. No pricing has been annouced, but Renault says it will be priced competitively in the A-segment. The new car will go on sale in the UK in September in a range of four colours: red, white, yellow and blue. The production car is a very compact five-door machine, whose styling stands out from the Clio supermini. With rear-wheel drive and uncorrupted, notably quick steering, the Twingo could easily challenge the bigger and more expensive Mk3 Mini as the best-handling small car. The new Twingo shares its all-new platform with the upcoming Smart family.

A shortened version is being used for the new Smart ForTwo , and the Twingo has the same underpinnings as the new Smart ForFour. The Twingo uses a pair of newly developed three-cylinder engines. The first is a modified version of the existing 898cc TCe 90 unit developing 89bhp and 100lb ft, which is canted over at 49 degrees to maximise interior space. The second engine is a unit of the same capacity producing 69bhp and 67lb ft. Both will be mated to a five-speed manual gearbox at launch. Last year, Renault chief designer Laurens van den Acker told Autocar that the new Twingo’s styling was not part of the new family look established by the latest Clio and Captur crossover. He said: “Small cars can be hard to design. The new Twingo is related to our other cars, but it is not a reproduction. It is somewhat iconic.” Van den Acker also said that the new Twingo’s shape was inspired not just by the ground-breaking original 1992 model, but also by the classic Renault 5, one of the definitive European hatchbacks.

Van den Acker said that the new Twingo is 100mm shorter than today’s model, making it 3.5m long. Despite this, cabin length grows by 130mm. “Moving the action [drivetrain] to the back gives fantastic advantages,” he added. “It increases interior space and wheelbase and shortens the overhangs.” The boot floor is flat and can carry loads of up to 2.2m in length. Renault says it is the only car in its class capable of "carrying a Swedish book shelf". “That means 80 per cent of the car can go to passengers. You get a lot of extra agility and, thanks to rear-wheel drive, you can achieve a turning circle like a London taxi,” said van den Acker. Renault claims the new Twingo can turn within a 8.65m radius. The new Twingo and five-door Smart models will share all-new transmissions and be built in the same factory in Nova Mesto, Slovenia. Smart will continue to produce a two-seat city car based on a shortened version of this platform at Hambach, France.

Renault said that work on the replacement Twingo began in 2008 and explored the rear-engined format as the basis for a new city car. The company said, “The aim was to create an even roomier and more agile city car, despite its smaller footprint. Combined with the use of a smaller block and the positioning of the wheels at the car’s extreme corners, the rear-mounted engine also frees up extra cabin space, while New Twingo also boasts the sort of wheelbase and roomy interior more generally associated with models in the next segment up.” Renault has a history with this layout, notably with the Dauphine and Renault 8. Renault Twingo Review | Top Gear Overview What is it? The third generation of Renault’s city car, and every bit as radical now as the first was when it arrived in 1993. Architecture shared with the new Smart ForTwo and ForFour has helped both Renault and Mercedes justify the costs of development and allowed them to be a bit braver with the underpinnings. So here we have a rear-engined hatchback that drives the rear wheels, giving packaging and refinement benefits.

The current engine line-up is limited to either a turbocharged 0.9-litre or a naturally aspirated 1.0, and we understand Renaultsport will be getting involved at some stage, too. Excellent. Highlights from the range Renault Cars - Specifications, Prices, Pictures @ Top Speed Renault cars They’re called the "Premier Edition!" Posted on by Kirby Garlitos + Alpine’ s long-awaited and highly anticipated return to the auto world took a major leap forward today when the Renault- owned company officially opened reservations for the “Premier Edition,” a limited-run version of the upcoming sports car, which, by the way still goes by the codename “A120.” So yeah, the coupe still goes nameless yet Alpine is already prepared to give early birds the opportunity to have an early Christmas present. Ho, ho, ho, indeed! The Premier Edition will be limited to just 1,955 units, an odd number on the surface yet a significant one for the French automaker as the original Alpine brand was founded by Jean Rédélé in 1955.

The company didn’t elaborate on the “exclusive appointments” featured in the Premier Edition, opting only to say that the special edition model will be available in a choice of three colors: Bleu Alpine (Blue), Noir Profond (Black), or Blanc Solaire’ (White). In addition, those who make reservations through the company’s bespoke app and make an initial payment of €2,000 ($2,110) will be afforded the opportunity to select their preferred model number, running from #1 to #1,955. The number they end up choosing will be commemorated by a plaque that Alpine will put on the car’s center console. That said, customers might want to make their reservations early because if their number of choice has been taken, they’re gonna be forced to take a different number. The #1 production model, after all, is far more appealing than, say, #516. Unfortunately, us here in the U.S. can only watch from afar in envy because the Alpine Premier Edition will only be available to customers in Europe, specifically those from Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.

Two other markets – Japan and the U.K. – will also get their allotments of the Alpine Premiere Edition, although reservations for those countries will happen sometime in 2017. Those who are interested should expect to pay anywhere from €55,000 to €60,000 ($58,100 to $63,400) for the limited edition sports car. Continue after the jump to read the full story. The Alpine brand returns with a sports car aimed at the mighty Porsche Cayman Posted on by Ciprian Florea + It took Renault about three years to transform the 2012 Alpine A110-50 Concept into a production-friendly vehicle, but we’re still at least 12 months away from the car we’ll see in dealerships. With that in mind, I thought it’s the best time to gather everything there is to know about the production car (due in 2017) and roll out the speculative review below, which also includes a rendering based on Alpine’s most recent concept vehicle.

Dubbed the 2015 Alpine Celebration Concept, the study in question broke cover ahead of the 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans and was featured again a couple of weeks later in the year at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Even though Alpine didn’t say when the production car is due to arrive, the concept looked as if it’s ready to hit the streets with minor modifications here and here. As the name suggests, the Celebration Concept celebrates six decades since Alpine was established in Dieppe, France. Also, it pays homage to the classic 1961 -1973 Alpine A110, a sports car the French built from 1961 to 1977. Introduced as an evolution of the A108, the two-door "Berlinette" was designed by Giovanni Michelotti and used a rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout. Among being Alpine’s most iconic model, the A110 was also a successful race car, winning the manufacturer’s title at the end of 1973 World Rally Championship. All told, the new Alpine has a lot of heritage to build on.

Updated 12/09/2016: Alpine dropped a first teaser video for its upcoming sports car, which is not also available for reservation in a first "Premiere Edition" version. This version will be limited to only 1,955 units. Continue reading to learn more about the new Renault Alpine. A convertible model and a performance-oriented version are expected to follow in the coupe’s footsteps Posted on by Kirby Garlitos + Renault’ s long drawn out plan to bring back the Alpine brand is now taking shape with the arrival of the mid-engined Alpine A120 sports car. The sports coupe is expected to make its debut at the start of 2017 ahead of the planned release sometime in the third quarter of the year. But new details have emerged about the Alpine A120 as there now appears to be plans to expand the brand’s lineup with different variants of the A120. Word from Autocar reveals that a convertible is expected to follow the coupe in due time and a high performance variant is also in the pipeline.

Details surrounding these additional variants are still being kept under wraps, but it is understood that both models are already in “advanced” development so information about them could be coming sooner than later. For now, all eyes are on the A120 as it gears up for its long-awaited unveiling, which in itself has been years in-the-making as a result of several false starts that plagued the project. But now that it’s getting close to finally becoming a real thing, the expectation is that the A120 will be using a 1.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that will develop close to 300 horsepower, giving it a higher output than both the 240-horsepower Alfa Romeo 4C and right about the same figure as the Porsche 718 Cayman. All of the power generated by the A120’s turbo four will likely course through a revised version of the Renault Clio RS’ s six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, allowing it to sprint from 0 to 62 mph in just under 4.5 seconds.

Once sales for the A120 commences next year, the sports coupe is tipped to get a starting price of about £50,000 to £55,000, or the equivalent of about $53,000 to $58,000 based on current exchange rates. Alpine managing director Michael van der Sande also hinted that production for the car could range from 5,000 to 7,000 units on an annual basis with models being sold in a handful of dealerships across Europe. Don’t expect the A120 to hit U.S. shores anytime soon. Continue after the jump to read the full story. Production for the Alpine sports car ended up taking priority over the hot hatch Posted on by Kirby Garlitos + The Renault Sport Clio RS16 Concept was supposed to get a production model, with recent spy shots suggesting that Renault was already doing test runs for the super hot hatch. Well, douse those hopes and dreams with water because the Clio RS16 will no longer make it to production.

A spokesman for Renault broke the news to Autocar, saying that the company came to this decision in large part because of the start of production of the Alpine sports car. Apparently, the Clio RS16 was supposed to be built at the Alpine Dieppe production facility, the same facility that will handle the production of the Alpine sports car. Seeing as the facility specializes in low volume, hand-built production cars, Renault came to the conclusion that it needed all hands on deck on the sports car, leaving very little resources on the side of the Clio RS16. Essentially, the Alpine sports car was Renault’s priority because the company had bigger and longer term plans for the model, including using it as the first in a series of Alpine models. Company execs thought about delaying the RS16’s production until the production for the Alpine sports car got off the ground, but ultimately decided it couldn’t come up with a reasonable timetable - earliest launch would’ve been 2018 - to avoid keeping its customers waiting too long. So, instead of delaying it, Renault went with icing the model completely. The news comes as a blow to a lot of people who had high expectations for the Clio RS16, myself included.

At the time of the concept’s launch last May, the super hot hatch was billed as the highest performance road-going R.S. model in history, an achievement in it of itself considering that Renault Sport was also responsible for pocket rockets like the Megane RS275 Trophy-R. At the very least, the Clio RS16 was also pegged to be a real threat in annihilating the Nurburgring lap record for a front wheel drive car that’s currently held by the Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport S. Well, the Golf GTI Clubsport’s lap record is safe…for now. Continue after the jump to read the full story. $8,000 EVs could be possible with government incentives in place Posted on by Kirby Garlitos + It’s no secret China has become the world’s largest market for electric cars and automakers from all corners of the world have taken notice and are gearing up to enter the lucrative market, all with the hope of biting off a big piece of that pie. One of these companies is Renault and part of its plan to get a chunk of the market is to offer electric vehicles in China that will cost as little as $8,000.

Yes, an $8,000 Renault electric car could happen in China, all thanks to the increasing amount of incentives the Chinese government is offering to get its citizens to buy electric cars. Right now, these incentives are nearing $20,000, and that’s per vehicle. That provides a company like Renault plenty of wiggle room to develop electric cars while not squeezing itself out on a small budget. Renault-Nissan big boss Carlos Ghosn made the prediction of sorts at the New York Times Energy for Tomorrow conference in Paris last week and while he didn’t dive into the specifics on how the company plans to navigate itself around those price points, he did say that the company is embracing the challenge of making this breakthrough because, in his own words, “it’s going to change the game.” So how exactly can Renault accomplish this goal? For one, it already has a local partnership in place with Chinese automaker Donfeng. Together, the two companies have created a local joint venture, Dongfeng Renault Automobile Co., to develop electric vehicles together with testing for a self-driving EV already set to start this month.

In addition, Renault has already indicated plans to move away from traditional engines like diesels and focus more on zero-emissions vehicles. On that note, it also has some technologies in place to help aid it in its development of electric cars, including those that are earmarked for the massive Chinese market. One such technology is the Z.E. 40 batteries that was unveiled at the 2016 Paris Motor Show with the 2017 Renault Zoe. Considering the stakes that are involved in breaking into the Chinese market, Renault looks to be making a push to be one of the first global brands to make its market on the growing market. Offering an electric car that could cost as little as $8,000 after government incentives is one way to do that. Continue after the jump to read the full story. Automakers are being forced to rethink their entire strategy for emissions compliance Posted on by Robert Moore The war on emissions has been on-going with automakers continuously pressed to lower emissions output from their vehicles year after year. Over in Europe, the strategy to meet stringent emissions regulations has resulted in the downsizing of engines and the addition of turbochargers to make up for the power deficit.

As such, the average engine size in Europe is anywhere between 1.3- and 1.9-liters. The shrinking of engines has worked well for emissions tests in Europe up until now, but according to Reuters, new on-the-road emissions testing has shown that smaller engines actually fail to meet the latest standards. This being the case, automakers are being forced to rethink their strategy, and those smaller engines could be on the chopping block. So how bad is it? Well, real-world testing has shown that most of the smaller engines currently in use – like GM’ s 1.2-liter diesel and VW’ s 1.4-liter, three-pot diesel – can produce NOx levels up to 15 times the current legal standard when driven at higher loads. Smaller gasoline engines of similar size lose fuel- efficiency and “spew fine particles and carbon monoxide.” Renault’ s 0.9-liter H4Bt engine injects excess fuel to prevent overheating, which has been found to produce massive levels of unburned hydrocarbons, fine particles, and CO2. So, what can automakers do to meet the tougher emissions regulations that must be adhered to by 2019?

Automakers have largely remained silent as to what their strategy will be going forward. But, sources have indicated that Volkswagen, Renault, and General Motors are all preparing to upsize some of their best-selling smaller engines while others will be retired altogether. All three have declined to comment on specific plans so far, but Alain Rapos – the Head of Powertrain for Renault-Nissan – said, “The techniques we’ve used to reduce engine capacities will no longer allow us to meet emissions standards. We’re reaching the limits of downsizing.” Keep Reading for the rest of the story. Renault’s decision could be attributed to its return to Formula One Posted on by Kirby Garlitos + The Renault Sport Trophy racing series made its debut in 2015 to much fanfare. One year later, the series will only finish out the 2016 season before it’s officially cancelled. The decision to cut the cord on the series comes at a point in time wherein Renault, considered as one of the most engaged and actively involved automakers in motor racing, is in the middle of reconfiguring its racing programs.

The French automaker has already exited the Formula Renault 3.5 series and with the abrupt closure of the Renault Sport Trophy, it’s once thriving Renault Sport Series program is down to Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup. That said, the series departures doesn’t mean Renault is giving up motor racing entirely. Far from it, actually, because the automaker has increased its involvement in Formula E and has even jumped back into the Formula One fray as an actual team instead of just an engine supplier for the first time in six years. Clearly, Renault is as involved in motor racing as it has always been; it’s just shifting its priorities from running its own make-series to heading back to the glamour and prestige of Formula One while also doubling down on its commitment to Formula E. While it’s hard to make sense of the rationale in starting a hyped racing series like the Renault Sport Trophy and then cutting the cord before it can even get off the ground, it’s just as hard to argue against that decision when Renault is boosting its involvement in Formula E and Formula One. Continue after the jump to read the full story.

- Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn, who said that a "massive" business plan will be announced as soon as the group acquires a 34-percent ownership of the Japanese automaker. The announcement was made at the 2016 Paris Motor Show, where Ghosn also said he is confident that legal and government authorities will approve the $2.2 billion transaction. According to him, the Renault-Nissan Alliance is already working on a thorough business plan that will be unveiled by the end of the year. “This is not a deal where we say, ‘OK, we made the deal, now let’s think what we can do together,” he told reporters. “No. The day we announce the deal, we’re going to tell you exactly what we’re going to do together. And it’s massive. It’s massive between Mitsubishi and Nissan. And also, it may be very significant between Renault and Mitsubishi.” The new Alliance will also impact how Nissan and Mitsubishi work in the U.S., but Ghosn didn’t reveal specific details. "We will have to dig more in the U.S.,” he said.

“But when you talk about purchasing, engineering, platforms, engines, plug-in hybrids — it’s massive." The Renault-Nissan Alliance was founded in 1999 and it has since linked the two companies in vehicle development and management, bringing significant savings through platform and drivetrain sharing, among another shared strategies. It’s not yet clear how Mitsubishi will function in this equation, but the Japanese company already has a cooperation agreement with Nissan in markets such as Japan and India. A new battery adds significantly more miles to the car’s range Posted on by Ciprian Florea + The Renault Zoe came to be in 2012, as part of the company’s Z.E. electric car initiative that also includes the Twizy city car and the Kangoo Z.E. compact panel van. Originally launched with a 22 kWh battery that returned a 93-mile range, the Zoe received a second battery good for 150 miles in 2015. At the 2016 Paris Motor Show, Renault announced the introduction of a brand-new battery for the Zoe.

Boasting 41 kWh of useful energy, the new stack returns an NEDC driving range of 250 miles and a real-world range of up to 186 miles. Set to go on sale in 2017, the updated Zoe will hit the streets in the same form as the original hatchback. Aside from the new battery and upgraded infotainment apps, the Zoe will carry over unchanged inside and out. However, the new battery makes it the most capable, affordable electric car on the market, at least until the Opel Ampera-e lands in showrooms. The updated electric arrived just as Renault sold its 100,000th Zoe, an impressive achievement in this market. Although not as popular as the Leaf, which sold more than 230,000 units globally as of 2016 (note that the Leaf is also offered in the U.S.), the Zoe is the best-selling hybrid in France and a notable competitor for the Nissan in Germany, the United Kingdom, and Norway. Will the more powerful battery make a difference and boost Zoe sales in Europe? Let’s have a closer look at the numbers before we draw a conclusion.

Continue reading to learn more about the Renault Zoe. Don’t expect to see a Renault Captur RS anytime soon Posted on by Kirby Garlitos + Despite the growing popularity of SUVs all over the world, Renault has decided not to proceed with plans to develop high-performance, RS-badged versions of the Captur and Kadjar SUVs. Speaking with Motoring, a senior source who works closely with RenaultSport said that those plans have been put to bed in large part because an RS SUV flies against the very identity that has given rise to the automaker’s hot hatchback performance line and the inherent risks that come with it. Apparently, there’s growing belief within Renault that a performance SUV could damage RenaultSport’s brand integrity, especially if there ends up being little demand for it. It’s a sound explanation that puts the focus on the reality of the industry that not every automaker can build a crossover or an SUV and expect it to do well just because the overall markets for these models continue to grow. Certain aspects about the automotive supply-and-demand chain have to be addressed before signing off on these models and apparently for Renault, the cons of building RS-badged SUVs far outweighed the pros of building them.

The company’s new stance is an about-face from its previous position in 2015 when there were serious considerations of adding an SUV to an RS family that only includes the Clio and Megane hot hatches. The Captur was initially thought to be the likeliest model to get an RS version in part because of its close ties to the Clio. Prototype models of the Capture RS were even reportedly built for “assessment purposes.” Now those plans have been put on ice and the expectation is that they’re unlikely to be brought back to the table in the near future. Continue after the jump to read the full story. Renault Twingo review Renault Twingo review Chris Knapman , Contributing Editor, Telegraph Cars 7 November 2016 • 9:02pm Renault Twingo The Renault Twingo is a city car with a rear-engined layout and plenty of cheeky appeal The Twingo is Renault ’s city car rival to the Volkswagen Up, Hyundai i10 and Peugeot 108. Unlike all of those cars, however, it has its engine in the rear, rather than under the bonnet, with the aim being to maximise space on the inside of the car.

Renault also offers plenty of ways to customise your Twingo, as well as low running costs and cheeky styling. Space 8/10 Room for four adults Rather than being deep and narrow, the Twingo's boot is shallow and long, with no lip to lift your luggage or shopping over. The rear seat backs split and fold to make a completely flat loading bay, and you can even fold the passenger seat flat, Renault having designed the car so that it can carry a small flat-packed bookcase. There are two rather than three seats across the back (unlike the Hyundai i10), both with Isofix mounting points, although fitting a child seat in is a squeeze (as is getting a baby buggy in the boot), and there’s no space for a spare wheel. Impressively, there’s enough leg and head room in the back for two adults, provided you don’t choose the optional full-length sunroof, which significantly reduces the latter. In the front it is light but narrow, with a useful number of cupholders and cubby holes.

Comfort 7/10 Limited seat adjustment, but ride comfort is OK The Twingo's rear windows pop out rather than wind down, which can make the car feel a bit stuffy for those in the back. The front seats lack additional lumbar support, and the steering wheel has limited adjustment, so not everybody will find the perfect driving position. There’s also no footrest next to the clutch, which means you have to squeeze your shoe underneath it instead. Ride comfort is as you’d expect for such a small car; generally OK but bigger bumps will cause your passengers to bounce around. There’s a bit of roar from the tyres at motorway speeds, but again that’s to be expected from a car designed for the city. While the little engines can be quite vocal, the thrummy sound they make is actually quite charming. Book a free Renault Twingo home test drive Dashboard layout 7/10 Mostly good, but small details frustrate If you’re happy to use your smartphone for satnav and music the good news is that Renault offers a free R and Go app that does just this, although the cradle it sits in obstructs the controls for the radio.

As with many other small cars the Twingo uses hard plastics but gives you the option of adding various colourful panels to provide a welcome - if not exactly cheap - splash of colour. Easy to drive 8/10 Makes parking fun; an optional automatic gearbox makes it even easier An advantage of having its engine in the back is that it creates more space for the front wheels to turn. As a result, the Twingo can turn on a sixpence, making parallel parking not just easy, but genuinely enjoyable. Visibility is good, and none of the controls are overly heavy. In fact, if anything the steering is a bit too light, and can make the car feel a bit vague on the motorway. Fun to drive 7/10 At its best in town Two petrol engines are available, a turbocharged 900cc or a slower and cheaper 1.0-litre with no turbo. The latter is our favourite, with enough go to keep up with traffic and a smoother power delivery. It also makes do without the speed sensitive element of power steering that you get in the turbocharged model - and feels better as a result.

As for handling, placing an engine in the rear of the car, rather than the front, can make it more difficult to maintain control in extreme situations. Clearly aware of this, Renault has fitted an extremely efficient stability control system that cuts power any time it senses a loss of grip. A side effect of this is that the Twingo can feel slightly jerky at times, particularly when taking corners at speed. However, its small size and that excellent turning circle make it a joy to drive in towns and cities. Reliability 7/10 Warranty and breakdown cover last for four years The Twingo is too new to have been included in the JD Power Survey, but Renault as a brand came just below average in the latest survey, finishing 14th out of 24 manufacturers in 2016. You do, however, get the reassurance of a four-year, 100,000-mile warranty, which beats all rivals bar the Hyundai i10. Renault also provides four years of UK roadside assistance and three years of Europe-wide assistance. Fuel economy 8/10 Sips fuel, but no electric version is offered Both engines average more than 60mpg in EU tests.

In the real world high-40mpg is easily achievable, meaning the Twingo is a match for its rivals when it comes to fuel economy. Unlike the VW Up, no electric version of the Twingo is offered, Renault preferring to keep its battery cars, such as the Twizy and Zoe , separate to its core models. Affordability 8/10 Not as cheap to buy as its rivals Developing a rear-engined car is an expensive business, which explains why the Twingo costs more to buy than any of its rivals. However, it comes with five doors as standard, where most others charge you for this, plus servicing costs are covered for the first four years. The turbocharged engine emits just 95g/km of CO2. In order to get the 1.0-litre engine below 100g/km you have to specify Dynamique trim, which includes a stop and start system that cuts the engine in traffic.

Safety 8/10 Strong, but lacks the latest advanced systems Unlike the VW Up, the Twingo missed out on a full five-star rating from crash test organisation Euro NCAP, because it lacks advanced safety systems such as one that will bring the car to a halt if it detects a frontal collision is imminent. In terms of crash structure it scored as strongly as the Up, Hyundai i10 and Citroen C1 , the latter two of which received the same four-star rating as the Renault. Driver, passenger and side airbags come as standard. Standard spec 8/10 Worth upgrading from the entry-level model Entry-level Expression models feature electric front windows, a DAB radio, remote central locking and a trip computer. You need to upgrade to Play spec to get air-conditioning, while Dynamique brings alloy wheels, cruise control, stop and start and a leather steering wheel, and range-topping Dynamique S models have sportier looks. If you don't want to use the free R and Go app, you can upgrade to a seven-inch touchscreen satnav and media system.

Of course, being a trendy city car, there are numerous “personality packs”, decals, coloured panels and accessories you can add, boosting the appeal - and price - of your Twingo. Our favourite version Renault Twingo Play SCe 70, list price £9,995 Options you should add Personality pack (£200), leather steering wheel (£75), electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors (£50) The verdict 7/10 It might not be quite as good to drive as the best in class, but the Renault Twingo is a car to make you smile. Its rear-engined layout brings genuine benefits in terms of interior space and ease of parking, although it has resulted in slightly higher prices than rivals. Follow The Telegraph Renault Group vehicles News News Find the Renault Group’s latest news, blog articles and key dates to learn more about our company, heritage and what’s coming up! Up close with the new Renault Twingo Up close with the new Renault Twingo Up close with the new Renault Twingo 0 It would take an uninformed owner a while to find the engine in Renault’s new Twingo.

Should they begin under the bonnet - which is really just a plastic panel - they’d find only a battery, a radiator and a reservoir for the screen wash. Feeling a soupçon short-changed, they might assume the only way Renault could afford to sell the car for £9,495 is to forego the trivial business of propulsion. In fact, it’s a wonder it costs so little, given the expense of making the engine fit where the new keeper would eventually find it: in the boot, under the floor. Words: Dan Read and Paul Horrell Pictures: Rowan Horncastle and Lee Brimble This feature was originally published in the October 2014 edition of Top Gear magazine. Why’s it there? It’s a matter of squeezing in all the necessary things that make a car a car while a) conforming to crash-safety rules, and b) making a tiny car feel like a big one inside. In a traditional layout, the bonnet houses not only the engine, but also a scrunchy zone to absorb impacts before they reach your legs. Unless you meticulously plan your crashes so you arrive at an accident backwards, it’s impossible to move this bit to the rear of the car.

The engine, on the other hand, can go wherever you like, and - by removing it from its usual home - you reduce the length of the nose, push the wheels to the corners and so stretch the available cabinspace. Alright, so now it uses up some bootspace, but if you tilt it 49 degrees it’ll fit under the floor. Logic also suggests it should power the nearest set of wheels, which happen to be the rear ones. No point in undoing your hard work by running cumbersome shafts back down the car to drive the front ones, eh? The result of all this means you have a rear-engined, rear-wheel-drive machine much like a Porsche 911. Sort of. Renault released the first Twingo back in 1993, in left-hand-drive only. At the time, it was the cheapest car in Europe, and unfortunately that’s where it stayed because you couldn’t buy one in the UK. This didn’t stop holidaying Brits getting their hands on rentals and falling for its buggish looks and clever monobox design, with sliding rear seats to expand or contract bootspace as required.

But let’s not forget, just because it was small and simple doesn’t mean it was cheap to make. Expense comes not in the form of physical materials, but rather in the engineering and design, because a small car requires as much thought - if not more - as a big one. Especially if you put the engine at the back. For Renault, and for this third-generation Twingo, this would have been impossible if it weren’t for a collaboration with Daimler. The Twingo shares its building blocks with the upcoming Smart ForFour, and both will be built at Renault’s factory in Slovenia, saving the two companies a large chunk of cash. Even with a £350m tooling and facilities upgrade, the cost savings are far greater than had they not teamed up. If they had gone solo, the new Twingo would likely have been a cheap Dacia, and Smart may not have made anything at all. Of all the benefits of sending the powertrain rearwards, perhaps the most important is manoeuvrability.

As there’s no engine to impede the sweep of the front wheels, they can turn through 45 degrees like a pair of rudders, where most cars make do with about 30 degrees before they bump into stuff. At full lock, they sort of flop over like a 2CV’s, which means you can move crabwise into parking spots with just a baguette’s width to spare at each end. Combine this with very short overhangs (if you peer over the dashboard you can pretty much see the Renault badge on the front) plus light steering, and it’s almost as parkable as a Toyota iQ, without being novelty-small. If there’s a trade-off, it’s the reduced bootspace, or rather boot depth. But what’s more importantin a little runabout: outright space or parkability? For most of us, it ought to be the latter, because it’s unlikely you’ll have to carry four humans and their luggage in a car like this. That said, the Twingo is still a proper four-seater, it now has five doors and the cabin is 33cm longer than it was before - despite the whole car being a touch shorter than the last one.

That’s black magic, that is, and proves that the bootspace metric doesn’t tell the whole story. Also, the rear seats fold down and the front passenger backrest flops forwards, creating a space long enough to accommodate an especially lanky basketball player. Or a flat-packed Ikea bookcase, according to Renault. There’s a hollow storage area under the rear seats bordered by netting to stop things rolling about. And, as the rear windows pop out rather than slide down, the door cards have been scooped out to give more elbowroom. The five-door VW Up does a similar trick with the folding front seat, but loses out in overall cabin space because it’s shorter and sticks with an engine-up-front arrangement, like almost every other city car bar the electric Twizy - another Renault creation. Sure, there are plenty of other city cars with five doors, but your passengers will be squished. And as small cars grow bigger and bigger, the Twingo’s future-proof layout should keep it small. We’re driving in Nice, where the locals love the Twingo like Brits love an original Mini - it stirs their inner Frenchness in the same way as brown mustard or a delicious baked snail.

Binmen, butchers and boulangers all hold up their cameraphones as we drive around. Would the Germans feel such affection for an Up? Doubtful. The Twingo, however, strays from the purely functional to the vaguely emotional. Our red car has a 1.0-litre triple making 69bhp and 67lb ft. There’s also a turbocharged 0.9-litre with 89bhp and 99lb ft, which Paul Horrell is currently driving somewhere in the countryside. He’ll tell you about it shortly, but I suspect his superior torque makes for a better drive. My engine might be a smidgen bigger, but I’m riding the clutch to avoid juddering at low speed. Given the car’s other city-going talents, this is a bit of a downer. Oh, and if you fancy measuring the 0-62mph time, give yourself at least 14.5 seconds. The suspension consists of MacPherson struts up front and a De Dion axle (essentially a semi-independent, beam-type set-up) at the back, strung beneath the engine.

It does a fairly good job of sucking up crashes and bangs as you surf city-centre potholes, but there’s a little shimmy over bumps as the engine-heavy rear end follows the chassis around. But maybe it was born to move its hips a little. Did you know that ‘Twingo’ is a blend of the words ‘twist’, ‘swing’ and ‘tango’? It’s true. But enough of all this. It’s time to slide back the roof - an £850 option - and enjoy the sun before it drops into the shiny blue sea. I’ll leave you now, and hand over to m’colleague Paul Horrell, who has his hands on that mighty 0.9-litre turbo… Thanks, Dan. Ah yes, mighty. Well, maybe not. Quatre-vingt-neuf chevaux does not a supercar make. Or even a hot hatch. But there are few cars that compete with this turbo Twingo’s combination of power, light weight and turbocharged stomp. And I’m liking it a lot. The little triple is willing and able.

If you want to overtake, jam it down to third or even second because it’s a bit hobbled by eco-biased gear ratios that are as long as a V8 Buick’s. Get into the right gear and it’ll happily shrug its way past most things. No bother to do so, because the gearshift is good for a rear-engined car. Indeed pretty good, full stop. And because the engine is behind you and its exhaust doesn’t run beneath your feet, its sound is cheery but mellow and distant. Never mind that the rear engine confers big-inside/small-outside packaging and a brilliant turning circle, both noted by Dan for their unique excellence in his city slicking. The rear engine, it turns out, also makes the car feel special out here in the sticks. It goes down the road in its own particular and engaging way. The front end carries many fewer kilos than normal, so it bobs around a little, while the tail squats more firmly. If you’ve driven mostly FWD tackle, this feels a bit light-headed. But you soon realise it’s just another way of the car telling you what’s passing beneath. It’s not uncomfortable, and it doesn’t unsettle your path.

At the risk of sounding up myself, Porsche 911 or Lotus Elise drivers will know about this. To be honest, you need all the info you can get, because not much comes through the steering. At least this 89bhp version gets a progressive rack, so it’s relieved of the traction-engine twirliness that Dan found in the 69bhp jobbie’s steering. And, sorry to disappoint, but the ESP won’t get out of yer face, so no rear-drive slidiness is possible. The fun comes from judging the speed of pouring it in, so it balances up and stays just beneath the ESP threshold. On tight and snaky roads, it darts about like a happy insect. The suspension is decently comfortable too, if not Up to the cringingly named VW’s standards. And there’s some wind noise at a fast cruise. But at least the engine’s turbocharged gumption lets you cruise fast and get a share of the outside lane, even up motorway hills. That’s simply not possible in most rival tots. All this and it’s still supposed to make 65.7mpg, equivalent to 99g/km CO2.

But I wouldn’t get such saintly results, because I’d be too tempted to flog its happy little heart out. Down by the gearlever you’ll find an Eco button, which limits boost to force you into going gently. I did use it, but only in towns, because the early-production engine has a slightly messy and unprogressive accelerator calibration, and it’s more progressive in Eco mode. I just happen to be a bit fastidious about accelerator tip-in and driveline shunt. Sorry. The Twingo’s seat is a good place to be. The one-piece chair wraps around you, which is another thing goading you into a cheeky style of driving. A universal mount holds your phone in clear sight, and a downloadable app puts your music and phone contacts under the control of the steering-column switches. The dash doesn’t have a rev-counter or trip computer, but the app does. That’s a sign of the sensible and creative thinking all over this car. And thanks again to the rear engine, there’s masses of glovebox and other storage space in handy reach. It makes the Twingo feel like it’s on your side.

And it looks good in here, which is a handy distraction from the fact that cars at this price don’t get lush cabin materials. What price? Well, you can only have the 89bhp engine if you spring for the top trim level, at £11,695. Still, it’s decently equipped. Our tester has some extra stuff like the big screen and various visual jazz-ups, but if you tread carefully with the good-value options list, you can make it feel like yours without spending a fortune. Good on Renault for doing the Twingo. Packaging aside, the company has made a car that also drives well. And the styling is brilliant. It doesn’t look like a big car shrunk down; neither has it come over all twee, coquettish or cartoon-cute as many baby cars have tried - and often failed. It has its own confident identity. The goodness of the Twingo is here and now in the 89bhp turbo. That said, there will be a faster one later, and Renault bosses don’t hide it. Though they refuse to be specific about what they’ll do to transform it. Here’s an idea they can have for free.

Leave this compact turbo-triple unaltered in the boot, but lengthen the nose just enough to stuff another one under the bonnet. There: a 4WD bi-motor. That’d be an actual Twin-Go. Read more on:

Question: Which car company makes the Twingo?
Answer: Renault